At Least We Dig Each Other
by ladyinblue6
Summary: Edward loves Bella more than anything in the world, even the fact that she'll always answer her mother's calls before his. Inspiration from "Dig" by Incubus. FGB one-shot for americanxidiot.


**At Least We Dig Each Other**

Edward loved Bella more than he could fathom. More than he loved ketchup on Kraft Dinner. More than he loved the guitar his grandfather gave to him for his sixth birthday. More than life itself, as melodramatic as that was.

Edward loved Bella, but he did _not_ love her mother.

Renee Higgenbottom was pretty much the bane of Edward's existence. She had managed to steal away his crush/girlfriend/fiancée (depending on which exact situation you looked at) at the worst of times. Renee was the biggest cockblocker in Edward's life, an even bigger cockblock than his younger brother, Emmett, who had an obsession with Bella when they'd first met.

The worst part about Renee was that she had Bella wrapped around her finger. Whatever Renee needed, Bella had. Whenever Renee needed her, she was there. It didn't matter where or when or why, Bella would always run to her mother when she needed her, even when Edward advised her not to.

Edward didn't have the guts or the heart to make Bella choose between her mother and him. Though, at times, he felt like that was his only choice.

It hadn't been so bad when Bella and Edward lived in Forks and Renee lived in Phoenix. It got a little annoying to have Renee call during the middle of the night while Edward and Bella were in the middle of cuddling underneath the covers, but Edward wasn't too bothered by it. A phone call or two a day could be dealt with.

Things got infinitely worse after Edward and Bella moved to Chicago to go to university...and Renee followed them.

Edward would remember that day until he died.

Bella and he were unpacking their boxes in their tiny apartment near the University of Illinois.

"This is perfect," Bella sighed as she started putting away kitchen things. "I can't believe we got this place, Edward."

He moved his body up behind hers, wrapping his arms around her waist and squeezing her, resting his chin on her shoulder with a smile. "It is perfect for us, isn't it? Not too small, but not big enough to be considered by anyone else other than college students. Only two blocks away from the university. Only one bedroom..." He kissed her neck lightly, causing her to giggle and turn around in his arms.

She smiled up at him, her brown eyes twinkling. "Just when I think you're finally growing up, you go and mention us sharing a bed."

"Us _finally_ sharing a bed every. Single. Night," Edward punctuated, grinning before catching her lips with his.

Bella wrapped her arms around his neck, her fingers brushing through the hair at the back of his neck, her lips and tongue dancing with his.

Then the phone rang, breaking their celebration of growing up.

Edward groaned at the ringtone that signified his least favourite person. He'd changed it to "Crazy Bitch" when he and Bella were in eighth grade, but Bella hadn't appreciated that very much. Instead, it was "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun," which was Renee's favourite song, according to Bella.

Bella glared at him, still smirking, before answering her phone and greeting her mom.

"You're what?" Bella exclaimed, her face a mask of surprise. Edward didn't like the sound or look of that. "Are you kidding me right now? That's... That's–" Bella sighed, her face aging ten years before Edward's eyes. "Yeah, that's great, Mom. I'll see you soon."

Edward stared at her as she hung up the phone, her head hung and her eyes closed. Clearly it wasn't good news.

Bella inhaled deeply and ran her heads through her hair, fisting it.

"What's wrong?" Edward finally asked, putting his hand on her back and rubbing it gently through her white tank top.

"She's moving here. She's moving to Chicago," Bella muttered, her eyes still closed.

_Are you fucking kidding me?_ Edward wondered in his head. "Really?"

Bella just nodded, her hands still in her hair, her eyes still closed. Edward wrapped his arms through hers and pulled her limp body against his.

"I just don't get it," Bella murmured tiredly. "Why? Why would she move to Chicago?"

"You know it's so she'll be close to you," Edward told her quietly, his lips in her soft, brown hair.

Bella sighed. "I know, I know. It's just so frustrated, you know? Like, get out of my life for a while. Get your _own_ life. Let me live mine."

Edward just supported her. He knew in the pit of his stomach that, although Bella was standing up to her mother now, she would give in as soon as Renee called. As soon as something went awry, Bella would be there, holding her hand and handing her Kleenexes or chocolates. And Edward would be left to brood. By himself. For the millionth time.

So, Renee moved to Chicago, somehow getting a smaller and shittier apartment than Edward and Bella had gotten. They helped her move into her new home and took her out for dinner at their favourite Thai restaurant.

Later that night, while Edward and Bella were drifting off to sleep so they could wake up to go to their classes in the morning, Renee phoned, sobbing about how much she missed Jason, the man she'd left in Phoenix.

Bella, of course, had immediately gotten out of bed, pulled on a pair of sweats and put on a bra before catching a cab to Renee's apartment while Edward lay wide awake in bed, waiting for Bella to come home so he could sleep without having dreams of killing Renee.

He stayed awake until three A.M., when Bella finally walked back into their apartment. She stripped out of all of her unnecessary clothing and crawled back under the sheets. Edward turned onto his side and threw an arm over chest, pulling her close to him.

"How'd it go?" he murmured against her neck.

"Horribly," Bella sighed, her eyelids too heavy to be kept open. "She cried the entire time. If she misses him that much, why'd she leave him?"

"Because she loves and needs you more," Edward told her quietly. As much as he hated Renee, he knew that she really did love Bella with all of her heart.

Bella sighed again, not answering because she knew that what Edward said was true. Soon enough, the couple fell asleep against each other.

The cycle continued. Renee would call at least twice a day, and the situation would be bad enough to force Bella to go over to Renee's apartment at least once every two days. Sometimes it was because Renee managed to set her stove on fire and sometimes it was just because Renee was lonely.

_What about me?_ Edward grumbled in his mind. _What happens when I get lonely because she's taking _my_ fiancée away from_ me_?_

Edward soon got sick of Renee's constant presence in his life. She'd show up at the apartment unexpectedly, many times catching Edward and Bella in a state of undress to some degree. Those times were the worst, because it made Bella feel even more guilty than usual. Edward would bet his bottom dollar that Bella would quickly dress herself and then follow Renee every time her mother managed to catch them doing, or about to do, the dirty deed.

But, soon enough, four years passed and Bella and Edward were both done their courses at college. Edward now had a degree in finance and Bella had a degree in English. Their first act of business as college graduates: moving back to Washington.

Washington was the one state that Renee dared not re-enter.

"It's like a black hole," Renee told Edward and Bella matter-of-factly one night that she barged in their apartment while they had their clothes on. "You can't escape it. If you go back to Washington, especially a small town like Forks; you're doomed to live there for the rest of your life."

"What's so bad about that?" Bella asked her, pursing her lips in obvious annoyance. "I happen to love everything about Forks. I'd love to be able to raise our kids there."

Before Edward could keel over and die at the fact that Bella had said "_our_ kids," Renee replied with, "Yes, well, I suppose that's up to you, isn't it? I know that I'll never go back there. Not if you paid me to."

Luckily for the couple, they didn't take Renee up on that bet. The first place they looked for jobs was Seattle, and they both managed to get employed there. They moved into a new, slightly bigger apartment, with two bedrooms instead of one.

Unfortunately, Edward and Bella were also housing Emmett now, too. Emmett was a freshman at the University of Washington, and still clearly obsessed with Bella. Bella thought it was adorable, Edward found it annoying. Emmett was just happy to be living in the same vicinity as Bella, not to mention using the same shower as her.

Renee remained in Chicago, working at a bank and phoning Bella constantly, begging her to go visit. After a while, Renee managed to find another boyfriend, Phil Dwyer, who Renee thought was amazing. This slowed down the phone calls a lot, which pleased Edward. If he ever met Phil, he'd be sure to give him a hug. Nothing made him happier than having more time without Renee in his life.

Bella and Edward got by on what little they made as they continued to thrive in Seattle. Bella started working as an intern at a small newspaper in Seattle that mainly dealt with literature and local artists. Edward was an accountant for a law firm in the middle of the hustle and bustle of the city. They got settled into a new life, a life they soon began to enjoy. They made new friends and reconnected with old ones. Emmett got over his infatuation with Bella once he found the new love of his life – a girl named Rosalie Hale, a mechanic that fixed Bella's car for her.

Edward soon realized that this was his life. This was what he was supposed to do. His career might change and his location might vary, but living with Bella, spending every moment that he could with Bella, that was his life.

He went to a jeweller with Emmett one afternoon while Bella was working overtime at her office to pick out a white-gold ring with a diamond. Edward found the perfect Bella ring and purchased it (and nearly choked when he found out the price). He brought it home in a box and hid it in his guitar case, something neither he nor Bella opened anymore.

Bella was curious as to why Edward randomly decided to take a trip back to Forks. They usually only went home on the holidays. But, they went home and visited Charlie and Edward's parents before going out for supper at their old favourite restaurant in Port Angeles, La Bella Italia, and walking along the boardwalk holding hands.

After they stopped at the bench that Edward first kissed Bella on, Edward got down on one knee.

"Isabella Marie Swan, I've loved since I was sixteen-years-old. I know you better than anyone else in the world, and you know me better than I know myself. You're my other half." He pulled the velvet box out of his pocket and opened it, revealing the ring. Bella clapped her hands over her mouth, tears brimming over her eyelashes. "Will you make the happiest man in the world by marrying me?"

"Yes," Bella breathed, letting her hands fall into her lap. "Yes, yes, a million times yes, Edward!"

Edward grinned before wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her to him. They made out under the night sky in celebration before heading back to Forks to tell their families.

They headed back to Seattle the next day. Bella stared at their house phone for twenty minutes when they arrived back at their apartment. She knew what she had to do; she just didn't want to do it. She'd finally established a life without her mother, and she liked it that way. Her mother didn't need to be in her life anymore, and Bella wasn't sure if she wanted to welcome her mother back yet.

She sighed and rubbed her eyes tiredly.

"Why're you so disgusted with our phone, beautiful?" Emmett asked as he flopped down on the couch in the living room.

"I'm not disgusted with the phone, stinky, I just don't want to phone a certain someone," Bella replied with a small smile at Emmett's nickname for her.

"Ah, yes, the legendary _Renee_," Emmett murmured to himself. "Scatter-brained but loveable. And incredibly hot for her age."

Bella scoffed. "Shut up, Emmett."

"Awe, baby, don't get jealous," Emmett teased. "You're still my number one." He squeezed her arm playfully and gave her a loud, wet kiss on the cheek. "Just don't tell Rosalie that. _She_ might get jealous."

Bella chuckled. "Don't worry. I think I'll be able to control myself while she's around."

Emmett waggled his eyebrows. "She's not around right now."

She rolled her eyes and grinned at her almost-brother-in-law. "Unfortunately, my fiancé's here. Otherwise I'd be all over you."

"I heard that!" said fiancé yelled from their bedroom.

Emmett laughed. "Oh, Bella! Get off of me, you hellcat! Save it for later when my brother's not here!"

Bella giggled and joined in. "But, Emmett! I simply can't help myself!"

The younger brother scooped Bella up in his arms and nuzzled her neck, making growling sounds.

Edward walked into the room, rolling his eyes and running his hands through his hair. He walked up to his fiancée and brother, grabbing Bella around her waist and pulling her away from Emmett. He walked over to the couch and sat down with her in his lap, a smug grin on his face.

"I win," he announced, tightening his hold on his fiancée.

Bella kissed him on the cheek and gave an apologetic smile to Emmett.

Emmett sighed dramatically and said, "Well, I guess I'll have to settle for my model of a girlfriend. Too bad. I thought we had potential, Bella."

"I'll always love you, Emmett," Bella promised with a smirk.

Emmett rolled his eyes and walked towards the door. "I'll see you lovebirds tomorrow. I'm gunna give you your space to celebrate."

"Thank you, Emmett," Edward called before he walked out.

"Yeah, yeah," Emmett replied, waving his hand dismissively before closing the door behind him.

"Well, now what?"Bella asked playfully. "My man meat's gone. How're we going to celebrate?"

"Your man meat?" Edward asked in amusement.

Bella nodded with a grin.

"You minx," Edward teased before kissing her smiling lips.

Bella cupped his jaw in her hands, opening her mouth to his.

Then the phone rang and Bella's stomach dropped. This would not be good.

The couple kissed a few more times before Bella finally broke away with a sigh.

"I better deal with this now," she muttered, picking up the phone to look at the caller I.D. Sure enough, it was her mother.

"Hello?" Bella answered.

"Bella?" Renee asked. "Bella, I can't believe you didn't tell me!"

Bella sighed again. "I'm sorry, Mom. I was just about to phone you–"

"You should've phoned me right after it happened," her mother scolded. "How'd he propose?"

"He took me to Forks for the night and we went out for supper at La Bella Italia. We went out to the boardwalk and he proposed at the bench where we had our first kiss," Bella told her with a smile, glancing at Edward, who was smiling right back at her.

"Awe, that's adorable!" Renee gushed. "Have you talked about when and where you're going to get hitched?"

"No, not yet," Bella replied with a laugh. "We just got engaged last night, Mom."

"Well, just tell me when you need me and I'll be there, baby," Renee replied. "I'll venture back into Washington just for you."

"That's very sweet of you, Mom," Bella said with an eye roll. "I'll phone you once we start planning, okay?"

"Perfect," her mother answered, a smile in her voice. "I better go, though. Phil's going to be home soon and I still need to make some supper."

"You're cooking, Mom?" Bella asked, mocking surprise. "Wow, Phil's changed you!"

Renee laughed. "I only cook on Sundays, Bella. Don't get too excited."

Bella laughed. "Alright, I'll let you go, then. I love you."

"I love you, too."

She hung up the phone and sighed wistfully.

"That was civil," Edward commented.

"I know," Bella murmured. "It was bizarre. Usually she only calls to talk about her."

"She loves you, Bella," Edward reminded her. "She loves hearing about your life, too."

"I know," Bella replied with a smile and a nod. "I'm glad she's finally growing up."

Edward smiled and kissed the tip of her nose. "I love you."

"I love you, too."

* * *

_I wrote this for FGB over the summer for americanxidiot. _

_The prompt she gave me was the song "Dig" by Incubus, which is a really great song. I fell in love while I wrote this piece._

_The main lyric I used was "We all have a weakness." Bella's weakness is her mother, and Edward suffers because of it. But, it ends happily ever after. :)_

_Hope you enjoyed it!_


End file.
